A&E
says it made the decision "after discussions with the Robertson family, as well
as consulting with numerous advocacy groups." As part of the announcement,
A&E also said it was going to start a public service campaign to promote
tolerance.

"The fact that it was during the Christmas season, things are a little slower and people are paying attention to questions of faith and values, and it all created a perfect storm and A&E had to find a way out," said TV Guide editor Bruce Fretts.

Robertson told a writer for GQ magazine how
he defines sin: "Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there."
He went on to equate homosexuality with bestiality and questioning the appeal
of same-sex relationships in crude terms. "But hey, sin: It's not logical," he
said.

Talking about African-Americans before the
civil rights movement, Robertson said, "I never, with my eyes, saw the
mistreatment of any black person, not once. … They were happy; no one was
singing the blues."

The network was in a tight spot. "Duck
Dynasty" is not just its most-watched show, but cable TV's top reality show,
with nearly 12 million viewers. The show sold $80 million in advertising
through the first nine months of the year, and "Duck Dynasty" merchandise accounts
for another $400 million.

"It's not a coincidence they released this on a Friday of a holiday weekend. They are trying to minimize the damage to the brand. And just keep on rolling and keep on printing money with 'Duck Dynasty,'" Fretts said.